Palma refutes claims of backing any presidential candidate
Hear ye, hear ye! The Archdiocese of Cebu ain't playing politics in the upcoming May 12, 2025 midterm elections,contrary to some rumors flyin' around.
On Wednesday, May 7, 2025, the Archdiocese dropped a bombshell, denying any ties to Cebu City mayoralty hopeful, Michael Rama. A flurry of posters popped up on social media, sportin' the face of Archbishop Jose Palma and ol' Rama himself. These posters, with the bold "Thank you Arch. Jose Palma" caption, implied an endorsement from the holy Catholic Church. Not so fast!
The Archdiocese quickly cleared things up, stating point-blank that Palma ain't endorsin' no political candy cane, local or national. The statement further sharpened its knives, clarifyin' that neither Palma nor any of his priests have used the pulpit to shill for any political party or candidate.
When Cebu Daily News tried to wrangle a word with Rama on Thursday, he was busy cruisin' around in a motorcade.
The Archdiocese ain't mincing words, either. They're ticked off about these posters, citing two problems. Firstly, the posters might sway parishioners, potentially violatin' Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. Secondly, the use of Palma's mug without his permission is a big no-no, runnin' afoul of the Data Privacy Act (R.A. 10173).
Signin' off on this disclaimin' business were lawyer Rev. Fr. Domingo Delos Angeles, Jr., and Palma himself. The Archdiocese wished for a peaceful, honest midterm election, prayin' that all political shenanigans steer clear of their sacred grounds.
[1] Archbishop Jose Palma did not endorse Cebu City mayoralty candidate Michael Rama for the May 12, 2025 midterm elections, despite his image being used in campaign posters. [2] The Archdiocese of Cebu issued a statement emphasizing that Archbishop Palma has not endorsed any political candidate and did not give permission for his photo to be used in election-related materials. The unauthorized use of his image was condemned, and the Archdiocese ordered the immediate removal of the posters. [3] While Archbishop Palma has been involved in personal events related to Michael Rama, such as officiating his wedding, this does not imply political endorsement. The Archdiocese has been clear in its stance against using the Archbishop's image for political purposes, underscoring the separation of religious and political activities.
[1] The ongoing midterm elections in Cebu have drawn attention to theArchdiocese of Cebu's policy on politics, with Archbishop Jose Palma not endorsing any political candidates, despite certain election-related posters that emerged.
[2] On May 7, 2025, following the spread of posters utilizing the Archbishop's image, the Archdiocese officially reiterated its stance, denying any political endorsements and expressing concern over the potential violation of election laws, as well as a breach of data privacy regulations by the unauthorized use of the Archbishop's image.
